IceDog excited about draft day

The days are getting longer, but Alex Pietrangelo's heart is beating faster by the minute.

He's hoping he'll hold out until tomorrow night.

By that time, he should know a little more about his future in the NHL.

The Niagara IceDogs defenceman is ranked one of the top prospects for the NHL entry draft at ScotiaBank Place in Ottawa, where the first round of the draft goes tomorrow. The remaining rounds will take place Saturday.

At last look, the 6-foot-4 King City native was ranked sixth by Central Scouting, but that number really doesn't mean too much.

"There are a few rankings and everybody has their own," he said by telephone earlier this week. "Every team has its own rankings, so I don't put too much into that.

"But I'm watching them; I'd be lying if I didn't. It's interesting to see what they say, but we'll just go into the draft and what happens, happens."

Three weeks ago, Pietrangelo was part of a group of the projected top picks who took a turn in front of the cameras on Hockey Night in Canada.

"That was fun to be on there and it was neat that our dads got to squeeze their way onto TV."

Since then, it's been a bit of a whirlwind for the IceDogs first draft pick, third overall, in the 2006 OHL priority draft.

"It's been pretty wild, it's fun to go and visit everywhere," he said while admitting he's counting down the days to the draft. "I've been to Columbus, Long Island (New York Islanders), St. Louis and, of course, Toronto.

"It's been a free vacation every once in a while, so I'm not complaining," he added with a laugh.

He also doesn't count Toronto as a trip "because it's only a 20-minute drive away."

Pietrangelo, a cousin of former Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Frank Pietrangelo of Niagara Falls, said the visits were a chance to meet the people he may play for and meet the people who might draft him.

"And it was neat to get an idea from all the different cities and what they have to offer," he said.

IceDogs general manager Dave Brown said his big rearguard has lot to offer to any NHL team.

"He's a big guy who moves the puck well and gets around the ice extremely well," he said of Pietrangelo, who is often compared to Anaheim Ducks defenceman Scott Niedermayer.

"He can quarterback the power play, help kill penalties and he's great four-on-four. I don't think there's a lot of question marks, but it's easy for me because I'm not putting anything on the line. I see him every day, know what he's all about and he's mature beyond his years. All the things you want as a GM, he brings to the table."

What Pietrangelo brought to the IceDogs all year was just that, despite missing eight regular-season games with injuries and three playoff games with mononucleosis. Still, he finished fourth in team scoring and seven among league defencemen with 13 goals and 53 points in 60 regular-season games.

Injuries aside, he was happy with his season with the IceDogs.

"Absolutely," he said. "We weren't sure what to expect going in, but Brownie made a few pretty good trades for us, we shaped up at the end and I was proud of the guys to do what they did. There were too many injuries to my liking, but that happens to everybody."

What doesn't happen to everybody is being ranked among the top junior players in Canada and getting a chance to play with the world's best players.

"Teams really don't tell you too much, they kind of show the same attitude towards the guys they're considering drafting," said Pietrangelo, who finished Grade 12 classes last week. "In the NHL, I'm not too particular.

"Most teams have spoken to me and I don't have a favourite team, but I probably watched the Leafs the most.

"I'm just getting more nervous every day. No doubt, I'm looking forward to it (the draft)."

As is Brown.

"We're really proud of him. We're obviously biased, but his upside is huge and he's going to be a high impact NHLer in his career.

"It's the first time our organization has had anybody go that high, so it's going to be an exciting time and it couldn't happen to a better person."